English

Expanding on the double copy in null Fermi coordinates

High Energy Physics - Theory 2025-04-11 v1 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

Abstract

We propose a Weyl classical double copy for a Fermi normal coordinate expansion around null geodesics. To leading order in this "Penrose expansion", we recover a previously proposed double copy of the Penrose limit. For spacetimes with an exact double copy, this Penrose limit double copy is extended to all orders. For spacetimes without such a double copy, generic obstructions appear at second subleading order. We thus argue that for any spacetime, near any null geodesic there is a classical double copy structure at least up to first subleading order in the Penrose expansion. Finally, we point out a difficulty in identifying an appropriate flat space to extend our results to the Kerr-Schild double copy, related to the generic incompatibility between Kerr-Schild and Penrose-G\"uven gauge.

Cite

@article{arxiv.2504.07224,
  title  = {Expanding on the double copy in null Fermi coordinates},
  author = {Samarth Chawla and Kwinten Fransen and Cynthia Keeler},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2504.07224},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

25+13 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-28T22:52:51.119Z